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Prop. 50 will checkTexas redistricting
Re: “Temporary gerrymander will preserve democracy” (Page A16, Aug. 31).
I deplore political party gerrymandering and am delighted that California has an independent committee to determine our congressional districts.
However, since President Trump is demanding gerrymandering to ensure the GOP retains control of the House, it’s time for Democrats to even the playing field; in this case, tit for tat. Michelle Obama’s “when they go low, we go high” is no longer viable; that ship has sailed. The GOP is determined to remain in power by any means, including illegal ones.
A temporary California redistricting to provide more Democratic districts to counter Texas’ subjugation to Trump’s demands is appropriate. In fact, more states should do the same. Allowing the voters to have a say in this temporary redistricting is the right thing to do. Please vote for Proposition 50 this November to help America begin to restore our democracy.
Marcia FarissSaratoga
Prop. 50 threatensequal representation
Proponents of Proposition 50 claim it will save democracy. It’s a fraud. It will actually destroy what little remains of representative democracy in California.
A true republic holds to the principle of majority rule while maintaining minority rights. There are 5,776,356 registered Republicans in California or 25.22% of the electorate. Yet, Republicans represent a mere 9 out of 52 Congressional districts — 17.3%. What once occurred behind closed doors in smoke-filled rooms is now out in the open. Proponents of the proposition intend to eliminate five of those Republican seats, leaving two, or 3.8% of 5,776,356 registered Republicans. That leaves 5,556,855 registered voters with virtually no national representation at all.
That’s not democracy. That’s tyranny.
Phillip GriegoSan Jose
Short-sighted Trumpsets back US energy
Re: “$679M for wind projects canceled” (Page A1, Aug. 30).
Once again, Donald Trump’s administration justifies executive actions with lies. As daily news reports of weather events show, climate change is not a hoax, and wind turbines kill about 20 times fewer birds (0.269 per GWh per an MIT report) than fossil fuel generation plants (5.18/GWh).
The cancellation of planned and funded projects, plus one almost complete off Rhode Island, is short-sighted and a waste of taxpayer money. Not only does it kill jobs and contribute to future climate-related damage, it will raise energy prices, and it plays into the hands of Chinese competitors who are providing clean energy technologies (wind turbines, solar panels, batteries, electrolyzers, EVs and charging stations) to Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, others in the Middle East and around the globe.
Meanwhile, Trump is paying back fossil-fuel contributors to his election campaign by extorting, through threatened tariffs, customers for U.S. liquefied natural gas.
U.S. workers and energy consumers deserve better.
Campbell ScottLos Gatos
Where are the USleaders who will resist?
The weekly barrage of executive orders is a relentless eroding of our democracy.
National Guard and federal troops in the Capitol; threats to do the same in other major cities; detaining of immigrants who have no criminal history, even immigrants as they are putting their lives on the line fighting wildfires; urging states to enact redistricting to negate the vote of the people; clawing back funds that Congress has already approved because they support programs the president doesn’t like; going after public officials who dare to dissent; creating fear. We are becoming an authoritarian state.
As columnist David Brooks recently said, we need leaders of America to be bold and form a coalition of people who resist. Where are you?
Gary BertuccelliSanta Clara
Trump’s prioritiesare not our America
While ICE is out grabbing the Mexican immigrants who harvest our food, clean our homes and hotels, work in slaughter houses, sew in our garment factories, cook and clean in our restaurants, build our homes and keep our yards beautiful and send them to prisons all over the world, breaking up families, we are left to ask for what?
Meanwhile, armed White people continue to massacre our children and teachers in our schools and churches, shooting up our markets and parking lots, and firing indiscriminately into workplaces with legally purchased guns. And before Donald Trump, Pam Bondi and the MAGA group can say, “guns don’t kill — people do,” let’s just point out that if we didn’t have all these automatic military style assault weapons available, “people” wouldn’t be able to murder indiscriminately.
At 81 years of age, I don’t recognize my country anymore. This administration’s priorities are not what we used to stand for. Lady Liberty is in tears.
Sandy FoehrSan Jose
When will world uniteto stop Gaza violence?
Re: “Activists call for end to funding for Israel” (Page B1, Aug. 22).
I am a mom. I cannot imagine the agony of birthing a child and not being able to feed it. With no one to help me find food, I would be forced to watch that child slowly die of starvation at age two or six or sixteen? What kind of community or world would allow that to happen to any mom or any child?
For shame. It is the world I live in now. It is happening on my watch. I am sounding the alarm.
What more can I do to stop the massacre in Gaza after contacting my representatives? Why are we and the countries that care not uniting together to stop the killing? We could, and we are not. Why?
Karen WickhamSunnyvale